The Power of Definitions
by Czeri
Summary: Ryan O'Reily/Miguel Alvarez slash, set in season 5
1. Default Chapter

AUTHOR: Czeri  
TITLE: The Power of Definitions 1  
PAIRING: Ryan O'Reily/Miguel Alvarez, several other mentioned  
DISCLAIMER: None of this is new or mine. It was on TV. But I read between the lines for you!  
SPOILERS: Everything up to and including season 5.  
THANKS: to Maggie and Ahavia for beta  
FEEDBACK: Always welcome! Contact me at: _czeri_@wp.pl  
NOTE: This story has been inspired by Ryan's definition of being a fag: "I've been in this shithole for over a year and I have never taken it up the ass." I simply couldn't resist fucking with his head a little eg. I'm also attempting to explain what happened with the favour Morales owed Ryan for Jia Kenmin's coma; why the reasons Morales gave Guerra for wanting to keep Miguel alive made so little sense; and why Miguel was so very bitter when he learned Guerra really tried to kill him.  
  
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Ryan O'Reily wasn't a fag. That, however, did not mean that he was averse to having his cock sucked by a willing mouth, especially if that mouth belonged to someone who could help him further his business goals. Which it very often did. The trick was in not letting anyone know he was occasionally engaging in these unholy acts, because that would be a weakness, and weakness meant death.  
  
Sure some people managed to turn their homosexual inclinations into a strength, like Ross or Adebisi, but Ryan knew he himself could never pull that off. Not with his physical posture and the number of guys panting after him in this place. So he had to make wise choices about whom he let to get him off.  
  
Ross was perfect - well-versed in the art of cocksucking, a powerful ally and, above all, a compulsive liar whom no one believed no matter what - he had everything Ryan could wish for in a fuck buddy. Too bad he got airholed so quickly.  
  
In comparison, Adebisi was much trickier. Even a shadow of suspicion that Ryan let the big Nigerian lay a hand on him would irrevocably turn him into "one of Adebisi's bitches", a fate worse than death. On the other hand, flirt was much too powerful a tool when dealing with Adebisi not to use it. Ultimately, what Ryan had had to do was figure out a way to make Adebisi respect him more than he lusted after him, so that once their relationship turned physical, Ryan was the one in control. It worked quite well for a while but even so, Ryan never really felt at ease with the Nigerian, so he was quite relieved when his illness and Adebisi's fresh obsession with Peter Shibetta turned them into purely business partners once again.  
  
After Adebisi there was Timmy Kirk - the ever-so-accomodating roomie; Sean Murphy - a kick to the balls for McManus; Keller - they were celebrating, don't ask; and of course officer Howell. Ryan couldn't quite bring himself to think of her as a woman, a sentiment he seemed to share with pretty much everyone else in Oz.  
  
And through all this, through all the unspeakable acts he committed with all these people, Ryan not once felt insecure in his heterosexuality, not once perceived what he did as anything more than what had to be done, or a quick way to get his rocks off.  
  
Until Miguel Alvarez came along.  
  
The ex-leader of the Latinos got into Ryan's clutches quite unexpectedly. Ryan did hear rumours about Glynn having to incorporate the solitary prisoners into the general population while the air ducts in Ad Seg were being cleaned, but he never thought the suddenly freed Alvarez would turn to him. So he didn't think much of it when Alvarez came up to him in the laundry room one day.  
  
"Yo, O'Reily."  
  
"What's up, cuz?"  
  
"I wanna talk to you."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"I need your help."  
  
"Help? To do what?"  
  
"Stay alive."  
  
Ryan forsook folding his laundry and looked up at the other man. Not many people caught him by surprise, but Alvarez just managed to do it, big time. It was obvious the way things were between him and Guerra, Alvarez would try and find some allies in order to keep breathing, but Ryan didn't think the Latino would be smart enough to approach him. With his interest suddenly piqued, he asked:  
"Why come to me? I don't have a gang of bodyguards."  
  
"Exactly. You've never had, and yet you're still here. If there's anyone in this place that is able to keep me alive, it's you."  
  
"I see." Fuck, Ryan couldn't believe how much he underestimated Alvarez.  
  
"So, what do you say? Is there a chance for me?"  
  
Ryan gave Alvarez a thoughtful look and then broke into a devilish grin: "Yes."  
  
"Thank God." Alvarez's whole body slumped with relief, which only went to show how much on edge he'd been ever since he got back to Em City. "So tell me, what should I do?"  
  
"Uh uh. What's in it for me?"  
  
"I can be a good ally. I'll get you whatever you may want from the infirmary. I'll babysit Cyril, so you'd have some breathing room. Anything, anything you need, man."  
  
Alvarez was irressistibly desperate. Desperate enough, that without really thinking it through Ryan made the decision he soon came to bitterly regret:  
"Frankly, cuz, there's only one thing you've got I may be interested in."  
  
"Yeah? What?"  
  
"You."   
  
For a long moment Alvarez simply stared at Ryan.  
"You're shittin' me, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I thought you were straight."  
  
"I am. And so are you. That's why we can do it. We'll be two straight guys getting their rocks off, not fags."  
  
Alvarez's unwavering stare started to make Ryan feel vaguely uncomfortable.  
  
"Man, you're way more twisted than I thought if that actually makes sense to you."  
  
"You want my help or not?"  
  
"I won't be your prag."  
  
"I don't want you to be."  
  
"Yeah? And will you suck my dick?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Will you let me fuck you?"  
  
"No!"  
  
Alvarez returned to his patented silent stare.  
  
Definitely uncomfortable now, Ryan exploded: "Look, I'll get you off, all right?! I'm not into rape. Yes or no?"  
  
"What exactly will I get if I agree?"  
  
"I can get Morales to protect you."  
  
Ah, sweet victory. Ryan smirked as Alvarez's unblinking gaze was replaced with intense longing and hope. The Latino's face was always way too transparent for his own good. Not that a perfect poker face would make much of a difference. Ryan *knew* being admitted to, or at least protected by El Norte was Alvarez's wet dream. No way in hell would Alvarez turn down Ryan's offer.  
  
"Morales'll protect me from Guerra?"  
  
"Well, I won't lie to you, I don't think even he can do that. You've pissed Guerra off pretty bad."  
  
"So how exactly will *you* keep Guerra off my back?"  
  
Ryan raised his eyebrows. "Is that a 'yes' I hear?"  
  
"Might be. What's your plan?"  
  
"I can get Guerra killed for you."  
  
"No."  
  
"No?" Just as Ryan was starting to feel some major respect for Alvarez, the Latino had to ruin it all. "Why the fuck not?"  
  
"I don't want any more blood on my hands, man."  
  
"It won't be on *your* hands. Guerra'll have an accident, is all."  
  
"Yeah, but it'll still be my fault. I don't want to kill anymore, especially not a compadre. Give me another one."  
  
Loyalty, Ryan could never exactly grasp the concept. How could Alvarez prefer to let the pig Guerra kill him rather than grease the bastard himself? Aw fuck, Ryan always believed it best not to argue with madmen.  
"Well, in that case you will have to give Guerra some sort of satisfaction for the slights."  
  
"Yeah," Alvarez seemed lost in thought. "I could let him shank me..."  
  
Fuck not arguing with madmen! "Are you nuts?! He'll kill you!"  
  
"No, not if we agree first he'll only shank me in the arm, or shoulder. And there'll be witnesses. And I'll promise not to retaliate." Alvarez was warming up fast.  
  
"No! Listen to me, he'll *kill* you! No way he'd lose such a chance of whacking you."  
  
"He won't. El Norte have honour."  
  
"You *are* nuts." Ryan shook his head. It was a pity to lose an ally so quickly, but there clearly was no reasoning with the loco Latino.  
  
Alvarez looked up at Ryan and smiled brightly.  
"I hadn't known better, I'd say you care."  
  
"Fuck off." Despite his annoyance, Ryan felt a smile tug at his own lips.  
  
"Don't worry, amigo. I won't die by a shank."  
  
"Just because you've been lucky so far doesn't mean you won't finally run out of lives."  
  
Alvarez just kept smiling.  
  
"Tell me the truth. You actually like being shanked, don't you? Playing with death?"  
  
"Cheating death is like, the only thing I never screw up. And neither do you. Don't tell me you don't like surviving against all odds. You've got scars, just like I do, man."  
  
"I like *surviving*. And I achieve that by avoiding being assaulted, not by provoking it." Ryan again started to feel uncomfortable under Alvarez's entirely too knowing gaze.  
  
"Whatever you say, hermano."  
  
"Yeah, well, if you're so bent on commiting suicide I'll need my payment early. Steal some lubricant from the infirmary and meet me in the corridor leading to the cafeteria before the mass." Ryan watched with perverse satisfaction as Alvarez's smile quickly died.  
  
"You... you've got condoms?"   
  
The man wasn't easily intimidated, Ryan's newfound respect for Alvarez grew another notch.  
"No, but you're clean, and so am I."  
  
"Oh yeah? I seem to remember there's a big chunk of your medical file missing, and there was good money offered for it at one time."  
  
"How 'bout that," Ryan made a thoughtful face. "Anyway, see you on Sunday," grabbing his laundry basket he set off to his pod, mentally reviewing all possible results his unexpected alliance may have on the going-ons in Oz.  
  
It wouldn't do for anyone to know he was helping Alvarez. For one thing, Alvarez was too much of a loser at this point to be associated with. For another, some perceptive fuck out there just might guess what the exact nature of Ryan's deal with the Latino was once it became obvious Ryan didn't get anything in return for the protection. Lastly, when Ryan did find a way to utilize Alvarez, it'd work much better if Alvarez's interference came as a surprise. A sort of a secret weapon kind of deal.  
  
So yeah, he'd have to ask Morales for discretion when he'd call on the favour the Latinos' leader owed him. And he'd have to invent some convincing lie to serve Morales for wanting to keep Alvarez alive.   
  
Ryan smiled to himself.   
  
Piece of cake.  
  
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	2. chapter2

AUTHOR: Czeri  
  
TITLE: The Power of Definitions 2  
  
PAIRING: Ryan O'Reily/Miguel Alvarez  
  
DISCLAIMER: None of this is new or mine. It was on TV. But I read between the lines for you!  
  
SPOILERS: Everything up to and including season 5.  
  
THANKS: to Maggie and Ahavia for beta  
  
FEEDBACK: Always welcome! Contact me at: _czeri_@wp.pl  
  
NOTE: This story has been inspired by Ryan's definition of being a fag: "I've been in this shithole for over a year and I have never taken it up the ass." I simply couldn't resist fucking with his head a little eg. I'm also attempting to explain what happened with the favour Morales owed Ryan for Jia Kenmin's coma; why the reasons Morales gave Guerra for wanting to keep Miguel alive made so little sense; and why Miguel was so very bitter when he learned Guerra really tried to kill him.  
  
*********************************  
  
Sneaking away from the group of inmates led to the cafeteria for the mass was laughably easy. So was breaking into a small storage room near the kitchen that Ryan had an eye on for a while now. The hard part came once Ryan and Alvarez were safely tucked inside.  
  
For some reason Ryan's plans for the encounter never went past hiding away from prying eyes. After all, usually that was all that was required of him. He figured out how to get some privacy while whoever it was he wanted that privacy with, pounced on him the moment they were alone. Trouble with Alvarez was that, unlike Ryan's former lovers, he wasn't getting off on the very fact of being with Ryan. Quite the oppossite, it was Ryan's job to seduce him, that's what he'd promised the other man when they negotiated the deal.  
  
Completely at a loss, Ryan looked uncertainly at Alvarez, who was shifting from foot to foot and gazing at him expectantly. This was getting real awkward real fast. What the fuck had ever possessed him to hook up with the loco Latino in the first place?  
  
"Yo?" Alvarez was the first to break the suffocating silence. "I've got that lube you've asked for."  
  
"Good," Ryan pasted a confident smile on his face - he wasn't about to let Alvarez know how uncomfortable he was.  
  
"So, should we undress or what?"  
  
"Yeah." Shit, who the hell was running this show anyway, him or the Latino?   
  
Determined to take back control of the situation, Ryan closed in on the other man and grabbed the hem of his sleeveless T-shirt to pull it over his head.   
  
'Well, that was easy', he concluded once Alvarez's torso was bared. 'Now what?'  
  
He suddenly flashed back to the feel of Alvarez's hands sliding along his body as Alvarez frisked him. He could do that. He was touching guys all the time.  
  
Without giving himself the time to have second thoughts, Ryan reached out and ran his hands across the silky chest before him.  
  
That wasn't so bad. It actually felt kinda nice, especially with the way Alvarez shivered under his touch and then leaned into it, obviously enjoying the contact. As he well should be, considering he'd spent the better part of last year in solitary.  
  
He had nice nipples, big like a woman's. And just as sensitive, Ryan soon discovered, when Alvarez sighed and arched into his touch. Fascinated, Ryan tested the tricks that had always got Shannon going: rubbing the brown nubs in little circles, then flipping his tongue across the very tip of first one than the other before squeezing them tight with just his lips. Oh yeah, worked like a charm.  
  
There was nothing pretended about Ryan's smirk as Alvarez gasped and slumped against the wall for support.  
  
'He certainly doesn't need much,' Ryan thought with satisfaction as he discarded his own shirt and moved in for a kill.  
  
He pinned Alvarez against the wall and slowly, deliberately ground his hips against the Latino's. Sure enough, there it was: Alvarez's erection was a hot, hard presence pushing insistently against Ryan's thigh. Just for the fun of it, Ryan ground against Alvarez again, but this time the Latino was ready for him - he grabbed Ryan's hips and bucked into Ryan's thrust, spreading his legs slightly to maximize the contact.  
  
They both groaned at the delicious friction, and then simultaneously started to rock against each other to recreate the heady sensation.  
  
Ryan let it go on like that for a minute or two, but he quickly decided he wanted much more from Alvarez than a humping session. He stilled and moved back a bit, just far enough to be able to undo the other man's pants and push them down together with his boxers.   
  
"No, wait..."  
  
"You're having second thoughts there, Alvarez?" Ryan looked up at the Latino and closed his fist around Alvarez's hard dick.  
  
"Yes, I mean no, shiiit..."  
  
Ryan couldn't believe how easy it was to reduce Alvarez to incoherence by the simple act of stroking his cock. Or how easy it was for him to stroke another guy's cock, for that matter. It just felt so natural, a bit like jerking off, only the angle was different. He quickly found a rhythm that had Alvarez moaning aloud, and then he simply kept it, reveling in how effortlessly he could work the Latino into a frenzy. It was even making him kinda hot: he was always getting off on making his lovers melt in his arms, and Alvarez was so damn responsive, making all these little desperate sounds and pushing into Ryan's strokes.  
  
Focused as he was on the Latino's reactions, Ryan didn't miss his cue to stop right before it would've been too late. As he let go and stepped back, he couldn't help smiling at the impressive collection of Spanish obscenities Alvarez sent his way.  
  
"What? You told me to wait, remember?" he asked unzipping his own pants and freeing his dick from the uncomfortably tight briefs.  
  
"Fuck you," Alvarez switched back to English. "I meant that the lube's in my pocket, you should've taken it out."  
  
Why was Alvarez so fixated on the fucking lube? It wasn't like Ryan really intended to fuck him, no way. He was just playing with Alvarez when he told him to get it. Was the Latino really thinking Ryan would ever put his dick in a guy? Stupid spic.  
  
"Why are you so eager for me to fuck you, hermano?" Ryan asked suspiciously.  
  
"Wha?" Alvarez, his brow knitted in confusion, looked up from where he was kneeling on the floor and rummaging through the pockets of his discarded pants. "I'm just thinkin', since you're gonna do it anyway, I'd rather you didn't do it dry, you know what I'm sayin'?"  
  
"Uh huh," Ryan gave Alvarez a thoughtful look. It appeared that he honestly believed Ryan would fuck him and was already resigned to his fate. Well, that certainly made things easier - Ryan no longer had to worry about seduction. The thing was, now that he knew Alvarez was ready to go much further than Ryan ever intended him to, everything in Ryan rebelled against letting slide an opportunity like that without at least giving it some serious thought first.  
  
Was fucking a guy really so unacceptable? It shouldn't be much different from doing a chick up the ass, and Ryan certainly never had a problem with that before. Truth be told, there weren't many things he and Shannon *hadn't* done. A sudden memory of a hot, tight vise around his dick made Ryan go momentarily breathless. Christ. Maybe he could give it a try?  
  
"Got it. Here," suddenly Alvarez was pushing a small tube into Ryan's hand.  
  
"What are you giving it to me for? Lube me up," Ryan heard himself speak before he even realized he'd made a decision. Slightly uneasy but unwilling to back off, he watched as a clearly nervous Alvarez uncapped the tube, squeezed some transparent jello on his hand and uncertainly reached out to smear it on Ryan's dick.  
  
"Shit!" Ryan hissed at the first contact. It was fucking cold! Luckily, the way Alvarez was stroking the lube in quickly generated enough heat to make Ryan forget all about the unpleasant sensation. In fact, it was generating much more heat that was strictly necessary, causing the first tingling waves of pleasure that threatened to twist his body into a far too early orgasm.  
  
Not sure how much more he could take, Ryan grabbed Alvarez's wrist and pushed the other man away. "Lie on your back."  
  
The lazy smile that appeared on Alvarez's face at Ryan's wanton reaction turned to puzzlement:   
  
"You don't want me on my hands and knees?" he asked even as he spread their discarded clothes on the floor and lay down.  
  
"No," Ryan long ago discovered the best way to fuck was face to face. Sure it limited the possible number of angles, but still, it was worth it just for the look of helpless ecstasy he was giving his partners. The only instance he could think of when he didn't want to see his lover's face was when he was with Howell, as seeing her actually threatened his performance. Alvarez would be ok, though, Ryan concluded, only a bit unsettled by the realization that in the throes of passion he'd much rather look at a guy than Claire.  
  
Absently noting that the Latino still seemed to be enjoying himself, Ryan kneeled between the other man's legs and maneuvered his body so that Alvarez's hips rested on his thighs. Then he grabbed his dick at the base, moved forward, and promptly lost every last shred of self-control as the tip of his cock was suddenly surrounded by a tight silky furnace.  
  
He moaned at the delicious sensation, instinctively pushing deeper, striving to bury himself whole in the other man's welcoming body. It just felt so good, so addictively, dizzyingly, un-fucking-believably good.  
  
Lost in the sensual haze, he was completely unaware of the painful grip the Latino had on his shoulders, or of the bruising strength with which Alvarez's thighs were wrapped around his waist.  
  
When an impossibly sweet eternity later he finally became aware of the discomfort and of the grimace of pain on Alvarez's face, he was already buried in the velvety passage to the hilt.  
  
"You all right?" he asked, with inhuman resolve managing to still his movements in spite of the very vocal protests of his dick.  
  
The Latino just snorted in response, but his deathgrip on Ryan's shoulders eased a little.  
  
"OK, stupid question. But you'd better not leave any bruises where anyone could see them," Ryan tried to sound threatening in spite of the fire flowing through his veins.  
  
"Fuck. You." Alvarez gasped out.  
  
"No way, amigo." Ryan turned his attention inward to centre himself against the overwhelming barrage of sensations coming from his trapped dick. As he did, he could feel Alvarez slowly relax under and around him, but it was still the tightest fit Ryan's ever experienced.  
  
Finally, when he couldn't stand being still for another second, he moved back just the tiniest fraction of an inch and pushed forward again. Christ, it felt amazing, the slick heat around his dick was better than anything. Now he just had to make sure the Latino was similarily impressed with the proceedings.   
  
He wrapped his hand around Alvarez's dick and started to stroke it back to hardness. He kept the pace slower than previously, more teasing, but still it didn't take too long before Alvarez's eyes went unfocussed and the expression on his face turned from one of discomfort to pleasure.  
  
When Alvarez started to moan and gasp for breath Ryan decided he'd waited long enough. He withdrew almost to the tip and thrust back in.  
  
A quick look at Alvarez revealed he didn't seem to mind all that much. Encouraged by that, Ryan established a slow but steady rhythm, reveling in the sweet tingles running down his spine on each downstroke.  
  
Soon the limited movement his current position allowed just wasn't enough. He let go of Alvarez's slick cock, put his hands on both sides of the Latino's head and shifted forward, until he was hovering over the other man rather than kneeling in front of him.  
  
Oh yeah, that was much better, now he could control the speed and depth of his thrusts much more efficiently. He lowered himself until he could feel Alvarez's dick slide between their bellies and started to pound into the other man in earnest.  
  
He quickly lost himself in the surges of heat flowing from his groin. For a sweet moment the walls around him disappeared, making him free again, taking him back to the much happier time when he and Shannon were indulging in their marathon sessions of sex that all the guys in the neighbourhood envied him like mad.  
  
The only thing he needed now was a pair of soft breasts to bury his face in for the fantasy to be complete. Unfortunately, all he had at his disposal was a muscular chest glistening with a thin sheen of sweat.  
  
'No matter what the doctors say, men simply don't have breasts,' Ryan concluded sadly, inspecting the body under him. Aw, fuck it, he could deal. He lowered his mouth and started to tug at Alvarez's nipples, loving the way the Latino writhed under him when he bit down on the sensitive nubs.  
  
As much as Ryan enjoyed himself working Alvarez up, something kept niggling at him. And all of a sudden he knew what was wrong - Alvarez wasn't really moaning in the right places.  
  
Intrigued, Ryan slowed down and pulled back a little to see more clearly.  
  
There, even though Ryan was no longer touching him, Alvarez arched and groaned low in his throat. Why?  
  
He wasn't jerking off. In fact, he wasn't touching himself at all. Both his arms were wrapped tightly around Ryan, flexing rhythmically each time Ryan pushed in.  
  
The sudden realization filled Ryan with a curious mixture of dread and disbelief.  
  
"You like it," he accused.  
  
"I don't... Oh fuck!... It's just this spot... When you stroke it, man, it like, melts my spine," Alvarez panted and started to rock against Ryan's thrusts.  
  
"What?" This was fucking surreal.  
  
Before Ryan got a chance to investigate the matter any closer, however, Alvarez's ass started to tighten around him, efficiently switching off Ryan's higher brain functions.  
  
With a helpless groan, Ryan gave in to the urge to piston into the pulsing channel as fast as he could, igniting the fire that finally consumed him whole, sending sharp spikes of delight through his body until even his fingertips were buzzing with pleasure. He screamed into the mouth that was suddenly latched to his lips, and came, and came, until the world turned grey around the edges, and then blacked out completely.  
  
When Ryan regained his senses, he was lying wrapped in Alvarez's arms, his face buried against the other man's neck. He lifted his head and was suddenly looking straight into Alvarez's eyes, still slightly dazed and so... so soft.  
  
"Fuck!" Ryan scrambled to his feet as the distant sense of dread suddenly blossomed into full-blown panic. With self-control even he had no idea he possessed, he managed to curb back his impulse to flee and instead yanked his clothes from under Alvarez with so much force he'd almost ripped them to shreds. Getting dressed didn't help much with the unnerving feeling of intimacy, though. If anything, Ryan felt even more naked now that he revealed to the other man just how spooked he was.  
  
If only the Latino showed any sign of a similar reaction, but Alvarez just fucking lay there and, and... and kept looking at him with those heavy-lidded eyes. Well, Ryan wasn't quite able to meet the other man's gaze to confirm that it was him that Alvarez was observing so raptly, but he could *feel* the Latino's scrutiny, like a burning itch between his shoulderblades. What the hell was Alvarez's fucking problem anyway!?  
  
Just as Ryan reached the end of his tether and was about to explode into violence, the sounds of the scuffle that Liam was to start on the way back from the mass came from the hall.  
  
Relieved beyond belief, Ryan immediately slipped out of the room and, using the fact the hacks were distracted with the fight, fell into step behind Cyril.  
  
"Hey bro." Ryan felt the knot of tension in his belly loosen a bit at the sight of his brother.  
  
"Ryan! Why weren't you at the mass?"  
  
"Shh, Cyril, forget about it, all right? If anyone asks, I was with you all the time, ok?"  
  
"Ok," Cyril's familiar look of slight puzzlement put a faint smile on Ryan's face. The universe couldn't have ended if his brother's face was still as open and trusting as always. It only felt like it had.  
  
'Nothing's changed. It's all good. Everything's fine,' Ryan repeated silently to himself as he put an arm around Cyril and walked with his brother back to Em City.  
  
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End file.
